Thread winding apparatus



Nov. 3, 1953 Filed Jan. 18, 1951 F. B. BREAZEALE THREAD WINDING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR BY Q/@ 3.7 ATTORNEY Nov. 3, 1953 F. B. BREAZEALE 2,65 7,868 THREAD wINDING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 18, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR BY Z I QWTORNEY Patented Nov. 3, 19.53

unmet# OFFICE-1 g 2,157,868'y THRAD'WIKNDING APPARATUS Frailes' iB. Bremse;Hendrsotiue; ci, 'agg-i signor i N.' 0.,' a corporation of Delaware Applicationllraarjils, 195'1, seriaiNt'.zos,tsa

1o` oltmsy (c1. 242-45) g bf ay thr'edfatfsttg; stantially constant Yt'en'sionj onto va take-up device.

that'produces a cyclicall'y yarying' the'adfveloeity 1` 5 tremely undesirable, 15

Consideringy the mostf sinplel voase with Whieny 1 this invention 'is concerned, a'thre'ad may be j Woundjthrough La guidaY onto a rectangularA flat( cardorboard, the ,thickieSSof ywhich 'isneg'lig'ible in comparison rwith its 'Width'f This card or board.20

is rotated about the v axismid-.way between its parallel edges' at' constant R. P.' M. VDuring .this rotation,j `the" pointj of 'collection is'fthef ecLgLe1 0I" the card orjjboard',which'fftherefore A,follows -Ja n f circular path'.l Obviously the'jvelocityl-of theff9f5 situation vis en'counteredf'in 'applltions ,suchff the Winding of thread ontoi 'as 'small card for gloss examinations or ontowa large seriplanemboard forg/ evaluation of properties .suchfas .liberlqualitvl 30 passed :from a sourcefof supplyfthrough a ten- 'sioningi device, ove'rQa 'traversing device; and v then'fonto thejcolle t ndev'ice,v The tensioning .35

device' should impar a lovr but fixed tension to the thread as it is'be'ing'wound. I his uniform 4 tensionjis necessary in' orderto permit a reliable comparison "of th'e'threadsat theouter edgesgof Y e the'ca'rd'or board with. the threads at the inner 40 portions,` For exampldeitjhas been found in the; winding 'of seriplane boards with rayon Athreads of une' denier; thajtthe tension is tot nigh, these, threads will' be harmed 'to such extent that milkines's may befoiindj'in the threads'. Since45 this mukiness is not haijattenstijqf 'thefthreads themselves; it prevents a reliable [evaluation o f the inherent'milkiness therein. This applies tothe Windig'of ne den-ier rayon threads onto gloss eards.'

ntal that 'the 'Windk form, A

subjecttoa regularly in 1 position, g which lin, turn 10 fett-is in`the thread ve- 55 locity causedby windingfa thread from asource thro gh a tensioning :device onto a co1lection,

means of 'non-uniform, radiusv rotating at vc on-y 4 stant'angular velocity', -so that a constant thread stantially yconstantWinding,tension are thereby OlJ'aIld.y n

velocity through the tensioning device and a sub.

Itis contemplatedaaccording to this inventiOn,

to provide a. thread-.storagedevice interposedI oe-` 'f tw'een the tensiondeviceand the collection means, the amount of thread storedvthereon being" variable; positively controlled, and syn-l chronized v with the angularfposition of the rotating nonuniformcollection means in such amani nerthat the ,threadvfyelociis'lv through thetensioning device' is, constantm s It isfa Vfurther object of this invention to' windi a thread .upn a rotating ,collections means o t,

noni-uniform radius at` a.A substantially constant tension.

It is a stili furtiiergfqbjet ofthis invention' te 'A synchronizefthe angular, position Kof a rotating; collection means of, nonuniform radius, yonto which threadi's being wound, Withqthe amount of thread retained in a thread storage device so that'thefthreadenters the storage device at a constant velocity, w

An additional robjec'tgi`s'to provide-an apphatiisv for the winding of thread onto a rotating collectionmeansfof non-uniform radius at a substantially' constant tension.,

other, o bjectsana ,advantages tf'ithis` invention will te apiiafrnt from the following detailed v description 'of.. yan embodiment; `thereof yutilized for.,- winding .gloss-'.cardsfvvhen considered in rconjunc-v i tion .wi`th theaccompanying drawingsy wherein:I

Figure l is a scher'naticV viewflof "Windingbap\-` A paratus yevmlofoiiyirie the. -te

sion compensating andltabili'zin'gf ldevice, -of s the. present' invention Figure 2 isfa detail viewfin side velevation ofthe carn folloWer yandA movable. thread roller assembly y of thfe` tensin compensating and stabilizing device; i,

Figlr? 3 is a ihvwfihs clmmise insulin-11. portvthe gloss card onto which threads arebeing Wound: ,l

Eigure 4 isa plan-Iviewlof ulheclaI-npof'Fig'lure35yj v Fie-ure 5 is ,a schematieidrawing of a gear; train paratus as shown inl Figurev 1,'

taken immediately hehind the frame vof `the ap f Figurer is a. perspectiveview offa hat recteur gular card rotating about the axis Afri,4 which is parallel to bQlhlong; edges ofthe card and' 1midway between them;

Figure '1 is a perspective view of a flat rectangular card rotating about the axis A-A, which is not midway between the edges of the card;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a prism rotatins about the axis A-A, which is the central axis of the prism; and

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a prism rotating about the axis A-A which is not the central axis of the prism.

Referring now in greater detail to Figure 1, a thread designated by the numeral I is shown entering the apparatus from a source of supply, not shown, through a thread guide II attached to a frame generally indicated by the numeral I2. From g'uide II the thread passes through a drag imparting tensioning device I3, over fixed roller I4, under movable roller I5, over xed rollers I6 and I1, and through traversing guide I3 to collection on gloss card I9.

Tensioning guide I3 may be any of the various types well known in the art. The disc type shown in Figure l, on which annular weights can be added to press the two discs together with whatever force may be desired, has been found to be satisfactory. Fixed rollers I4, I6 and I1 are frictionless, freely rotatable, thread-driven rollers which are also well known in the art. Roller I is similar to fixed rollers I4, I6 and I1 except that it is mounted to reciprocate vertically in a manner to be more fully described hereinbelow.

Referring now to both of Figures 1 and 2, it can be seen that the roller I5 is mounted upon a stud extending horizontally from a rod which is mounted for vertical sliding movement in a sleeve 2l, which in turn is mounted from frame I2 by means of bracket 22. On the lower end of rod 20 a cam follower 23 is mounted for coaction with a cam 24, the design of which will be described. Around rod 20 there is provided helical spring having its upper end bearing against the lower shoulder of sleeve 2I and its lower end bearing against a collar 26 afllxed to rod 20. The spring 25 acts in compression and thus urges rod 20 and cam follower 23 downwardly. A stop collar 21 is aflixed to rod 20 above sleeve 2I to limit the extent to which spring 25 can force rod 20 in a downward direction. The cam 24 is fastened to a cam shaft 28, which is rotated at a constant R. P. M. by driving means, best shown in Figure 5.

Fixed rollers I4 and I6 are separated a small distance equal to the diameter of movable roller I5, and are supported from the frame I2 to lie in the same vertical plane as the roller I5. In this manner the thread passes from roller I4 vertically downward and around I5 and vertically upward to roller I6 so that the two parts of the loop thus formed are parallel.

Traversing guide I8 is slowly reciprocated as gloss card I9 is rotated to lay the thread upon the card in closely spaced parallel convolutions. This traversing may be effected by any of the systems known in the art, such as the mechanism schematically shown in Figure 1 which comprises the traversing guide I8 that is affixed to reciprocating guide bar 29, cylindrical traversing cam 30, and a pin cam follower 3| affixed to guide bar 29 and riding in the helical cam grooves in cam 30 in the well known manner. Cam 30 is rotated by any suitable means, not shown. The traversing system per se does not constitute a part of this invention except in the manner that it is combined with the other elements of the apparatus of this invention.

Gloss card I9 can be of any suitable material,

as for example, heavy black cardboard. The card is clamped between a xed support 32 fastened to flange 33, and a movable support 34, which is provided with two holes through which tightening bolts 35 and 36 are free to pass, see Figures 3 and 4. In fixed support 32 two thread ed holes are provided for engaging bolts 35 and 36. Shoulders on vthese two bolts serve to force support 34 against support 32 as the two bolts are screwed in. Obviously, other similar clamps may be used to equal advantage in this application. Circular flange 33 is rigidly affixed to one end of winding shaft 31, which in turn is driven at a constant R. P. M. by suitable driving means shown in Figure 5.

Using the embodiment shown in Figure 1, it is necessary that the R. P. M.'s of cam shaft 28 and winding shaft 31 be identical. It is also necessary that means be provided for synchronizing cam shaft 28 and winding shaft 31 so that their angular relationships may be maintained constant.

One gear train that can be used to accomplish the synchronization of shafts 28 and 31 is shown in Figure 5, which is a schematic drawing of the parts just behind frame I2. In this figure, cam shaft 28 and winding shaft 31 are seen in the same relation that they are seen in Figure 1. Frame I2 may be provided with any suitable base, designated 38, on which is fastened electric motor 39. Attached to the driving shaft of motor 33 is a small spur gear 40 which meshes with gear 4I. Gear 4I is keyed to cam shaft 28, to which gear 42 is likewise keyed. Idler` gear 43 meshes with gear 42 and transmits its rotation to gear 44, which is keyed to winding shaft 31. It can thus be seen that rotation of the electric motor is transmitted to cam shaft 28 at a lower R. P. M. Next, this R. P. M. of cam shaft 28 is transmitted to winding shaft 31, which rotates in the same irecton and at the same R. P. M. as cam shaft The shape of cam 24 is determined from consideration of the angular position and dimensions of gloss card I9 and the distance between gloss card I9 and traversing guide I8. The development of the surface of this cam 24 is such that at any given time the linear velocity of the thread passing through tensioning device I3 is constant, which will be more readily understood from the following discussion.

As gloss card I9 is rotated at a constant R. P. M., the effective point oi' thread take-up 1s the edge of card over which the free end of the thread is passed. With the card rotating at a fixed R. P. M. and with the dimensions of the card known, it thus can be seen that the average linear take-up velocity of the thread can be immediately determined. For example, with a 3-inch card rotating at 180 R. P. M. the average linear take-up velocity is 30 yards per minute. It is obvious that the thread is not always collected at this average velocity, for although the point of collection moves at a constant peripheral speed, the distance of this point from the point of supply, in this case traversing guide I8, does not increase at a fixed rate.

Designating as a the angle formed by the card with the line connecting the axis of rotation of the card and the traversing guide. it can be realized that during the earliest part of the cycle, when a is small, the point of collection is moving in a direction substantially perpendicular to this line. In this case, the distance between the guide and point of collection increases relatively slowly. As a increases, the point of collec- 5. ncsitonatlwhicltthe..rate of; di sa maaiming:y :Thevvaflll of .a a this,S-pbtaine.d. .designated .cui

depends on the sizagfthecardand.its distance from the traversing guide', and is the value of a at .whichthelline betwcenfthetraverse guide and the edge of the card is tangent to the circular locusfbfzzthe.' edgefotithe-fcard; A .'After awreachesaM and increasgesmaar?dg,tldp?,ytlieeraterofV distance i'ncreaselfnalls off graduallyuntil at 180 itis zero. At thispoint the opposite edge ofthe cardstarts collecting thread and a new 'cycle commences.,

The rate of distance change; orvelocitnfgthe threadY thus nvaries yperiodically every. 18,051.. and tofpreventavcorresp on dingjtension. variation, this velocity variation through the tensioning device must b eeliminated; Accordingly, throughhe co-action ofscam-24and" cam follower 23; movable roller I is reciprocated in such a manner that the amount of yarn stored in the loop between rollers I 4, I5 and I6 balances the varying rate of thread withdrawal by card I9. That is, the thread storage system is designed to accumulate thread from the thread supply whenever the card take-up velocities are lower than the average velocity, and to furnish thread to the card in excess of the thread furnished from the thread supply whenever the card take-up velocities are higher than the average velocity.

In operation this device is extremely simple. The thread passes through guide II and tensioning device I3 to the thread storage system comprising rollers I4, I5 and I6, after which it passes through traversing guide I 8 onto gloss card I9. As viewed in Figure 1, winding shaft 3`I and cam shaft 28 both rotate counterclockwise in synchronism at the same R. P. M. while roller I5 reciprocates in such a manner that the varying velocities of the thread passing over rollers I 6 and II and through guide I8 are compensated by the varying length of the thread in the loop between rollers I4, I5 and I 6.

In practice, the inertia of rollers I6 and Il to the changes in velocity of thread passing thereover may prevent the tension of the thread being wound from being perfectly constant. These general variations, however, are so minor that for the purposes involved the tension is substantially constant.

The embodiment described above represents the invention in perhaps its most elementary form. Both the winding shaft and the cam shaft turn in identical angular velocities. It would be possible, of course, to so design the cam that it would be a four-cycle cam, for example, instead of the two-cycle type, as shown. In this case the cam shaft would rotate at one-half the angular velocity of the winding shaft.

The same principle as described above would be applied to the design of an apparatus for use with a seriplane board winding system.

Also contemplated by this invention is the winding of a thread onto a rotating collection means of non-uniform radius other than the ilat card or board described above. The embodiment described above, a flat rectangular card rotating about an axis midway between its long edges, is shown in Figure 6, but it could be modied so that rotation would be carried out about an axis not midway between its parallel edges, as shown in Figure 7. Also, a prism could be attached to the winding shaft and rotated about its central axis as shown in Figure 8, or it could be rotated about a non-central axis as shown ,in Figure 9.

` vice, whether.- a @cardrshane :.-rOtate-z.thexfcolleetioneda ,.ember; `@t1-langwlar member, breather. .aboutfa central axis. or rI `:It lsfpssible.

. It preferabletto non-central axi sfo vice.

tical standpoint the-fone;diescribed'.:in the. fore-- stored by said guide means in synchronism with changes in the angular position of said collection device.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the collection device is a ilat rectangular member.

.3. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said nat rectangular member rotates about its central axis.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said dat rectangular member rotates about an eccentric axis.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the collection device is a prism.

6. The apparatus dened in claim 5, wherein said prism rotates about its central axis.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 5 wherein said prism rotates about an eccentric axis.

movable roller in synchronism with changes in the angular position of said collection device, whereby the velocity of the thread passing through said tensioning device is maintained constant.

9. An apparatus as dened in claim 8, wherein the direction of reciprocation of said movable roller is perpendicular to a line connecting the centers of said pair of xed rollers.

10. An apparatus for winding a thread at substantially constant tension that comprises a ro- .thefpollection-:device .about -aA r: the: camysurface, `can befde-l veloped. ina 'similarffashion .to giver a constantY velocityvof thread ,through the .tensioning dctating collection device of non-uniform radius that imparts a cyclically irregular velocity to the thread passing thereto, a tensioning device in the thread path to the collection device, a pair of fixed freely rotatable thread-driven rollers and a movable like roller, said rollers being located in the thread path between said tensioning device and said collection device, said rollers lying in the same plane, means mounting said movable roller to reciprocate relative to said fixed rollers in said plane to vary the sum of the distances from said movable roller to each of said pair of rollers, a cam follower attached to said movable roller, a cam coacting with said cam follower to reciprocate said movable roller, and means to rotate said cam in synchronization with changes in the angular position of said collection device, the surface of said cam bei'ng correlated with the dimensions of said collection device so that the thread velocity through said tensioning device is maintained constant.

5 FRANCIS B. BREAZEALE.

References Cited in the 111e o! this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Number Name Date 1,950,105 Faure-Roux Mar. 6, 1934 1,959,680 Livingston May 22, 1934 2,006,819 Zschach July 2, 1935 2,159,635 Ranney May 23, 1939 15 2,285,654 Hanna et al June 9, 1942 2,566,848 Morton Sept. 4, 1951 2,569,342 Scott Sept. 25, 1951 

